A műemléki topográfia múltja és jelene a Kárpát-medence nyugati peremén
Past and present of the topography of historic monuments in the western part of the Carpathian Basin

Author(s): Béla Zsolt Szakács
Subject(s): Museology & Heritage Studies, Architecture
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Keywords: monument protection; monument topography; Burgenland; cultural heritage; historical Hungary; heritage database; architectural history; Teleki László Foundation; Austrian monument registers; Carpathian Basin
Summary/Abstract: The study examines the history and current state of monument topography in the western region of the Carpathian Basin, especially in Burgenland. The paper was inspired by the Teleki László Foundation’s 2024 initiative to create a unified database of Hungarian-related monuments outside Hungary’s present borders. The author reviews the development of monument documentation in Hungary from the nineteenth century onward, highlighting the contributions of scholars such as Arnold Ipolyi, Imre Henszlmann, and Péter Gerecze. The article explains how systematic monument surveys began with the establishment of national heritage institutions and gradually expanded to include the territories of historical Hungary. Special attention is given to Austrian monument topography projects after the creation of Burgenland in the twentieth century. Szakács compares Hungarian and Austrian cataloguing systems and points out the strengths and shortcomings of the current Austrian monument registers. The study argues that the planned Hungarian database will provide more precise historical, geographical, and architectural information than existing public Austrian records. Several case studies are presented, including churches, castles, memorials, archaeological sites, and Art Nouveau villas that deserve greater recognition or protection. The author also emphasizes the importance of including destroyed or neglected monuments in cultural heritage databases because they remain essential parts of historical memory. Overall, the paper highlights the need for comprehensive, multilingual, and historically sensitive monument documentation to preserve the shared cultural heritage of the peoples living in the Carpathian Basin.

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